Means for connecting strips of sheet metal



NOV. 6, 1934. 1 R COE 1,980,154

MEANS FOR CONNECTTNG STRIPS OF SHEET METAL Original Filed Sept. 28, 1952 will ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MEANS FOR CONNECTING STRIPS OF SHEET METAL originan application september 2s, 1932, serial No. 635,215, new Patent No. 1,928,409, aerea September 26, 1933.

Divided and this application March 23, 1933, Serial No. 662,272

2 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in means for connecting the end portions of strip metal and to the method of forming such connection.

6 An object of the invention is, to provide a simple and inexpensive connection for connecting the forward end of one metal strip to the rearward end of a second metal strip.

Another' object is to provide an improved l method whereby one end of a metal strip may be easily and quickly attached to an end of a second metal strip, and is especially adapted for connecting such strips when they are used in a continuous operation such as a continuous annealing operation.

Otherobjects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed 'description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein a satisfac- 420 tory embodiment of the invention is shown.

However, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all .such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit ofthe invention and the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is-a top plan view showing a pair of sheet metal strips associated with a punch and die by means of which the strips are to be connected;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through Fig. 1, and showing the manner in which the strips are treated by the punch and die;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view showing the end portions of two strips connected according to the present invention; and

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken substan tially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

The present application is a division of m 4,0 prior application, Serial Number 635,215, filed September 28, 1932, and while the Joint and method of the present case are useful in the furnace and method set forth in the above entitled application, they are not restricted to such use. According to the method of the present invention a punch press (not shown) is equipped with a desired number of punching or lancing tools 5 preferably arranged in a row and in spaced relation to one another. Preferably these tools 5 are spaced approximately three inches apart and extend for the length of a die bed and press plate and each tool comprises a circular shearing punch from which a certain portion of the cutting edge is omitted or removed by filing as indicated at 6 in Fig.

2. The omitting or removing of this portion of the punch results in the same having its lower surface inclined as shown, the said surface inclining from one edge 18 toward its portion 6.

These punches or tools cooperate with circuvil!) lar shearing dies 7 mounted in any suitable bed plate 8, and a certain portion of the cutting edge 19 of each die is omitted or removed as at 9. The amount cut away is preferably less than a semi-circle so that the portion of the strip cut 65 will be more than a semi-circle as indicated in Fig. 3. Tools 5 and dies 7 are used to connect the forward or front end of one strip of metal t0 an end of a second strip of metal whereby movement of the said second strip of metal will be imparted to the first strip and the second strip may be used for threading the rst strip through a furnace or other device. In the drawing, there are shown portions of strips 10 and 11 connected according to the present invention. To connect these ends. portion 11 is disposed on portion 10 below the punches or tools 5 and these are operated downwardly to partially lance and press downwardly portions 12 of the strip 10 and portions 13 of the strip 11. Thus holes or openings 15 and 16 are formed in the strips 10 and 11 respectively and the ears or portions 12 and 13 are attached to their respective strips at one edge of the openings 15 and 16 respectively as indicatedl at 14 by strips less lthan a semi-circle in width, and it will also be noted the upper ears or portions 13 are carried downwardly through the. openings 15 in thel lowerl strip 10.

This is because the punches and dies are cut 901 away as at 6 and 9 so the depressed portions 12 and 13 will remain connected as by neck por- I tions 14 with the respective strips from which .they have been pressed. After the strip portions 12V and 13 have been lanced and pressed as de- 96 scribed the strip 10 and the strip 11 are moved, relatively. This relative movement may be accomplished by drawing the strips in opposite directions or by maintaining one strip stationary and moving the other longitudinally in a direc- 100 tion oil the strip being held stationary. If the strip 10, as shown in Fig. 2, is moved toward the right relative to the strip 11 then the downwardly depressed portion 13 of strip 11 will be disposed through but out of registry with the opening l5 formed in the strip 10, or that is, the edge of opening 15 will be on top of the ears on downwardly bent portions 13 as shown in Fig.-

4. In other words, the lstrips will be connected as suggested since as the strip 10 moves for- 110 wardly or to the right in Fig. 2, relative to the strip 11, the extreme end portion. 17 of the strip .10 will slide to a position over thev depressed portions 13 as best shown in Fig. 4. That is, the depressed portion 13 of strip 11 forms a sort of hook which engages in the opening 15 directly under it. It will be understood that the desired number of these punchings may be used and that the number will vary with the width of the strips being connected. When one strip is to be used to draw another along it is preferred that at least two spaced portions of the strips be pressed through since when the strips are connected at two points any substantial relative turning movement between the strips will be prevented.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that by the method of thetpresent -in'ventionf-:the endl.

portions of a pair of strips may be easily and quickly connected. It is but necessary to dispose l the end portions of the strips in over-lapping relationship and to then operate the punches 5 to lance and press downwardly the ears or cut out portions of the two strips whereby the parf tially lanced portions of one strip extend through the other strip. When a pair of strips are connected by' the joint of the present invention they cannot be separated` except'by shifting them relatively to bring their depressed portions 12 and 13 into complete registry after which the strips may be shifted relatively vertically to disconnect them. However, while the stripsk are positioned as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 there is no casual movement which will separate them since they must be manipulated intoa particular position before they can be separated because as indicated in Fig. 3 the front'edges 20 oi the openings 15 have passed beyond the widest part tend to more securely lock them together.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is: l

1. In combination, two superimposed strips, said strips having similar portions partially lanced and pressed therefrom and providing openings in the strips and similarly extending portions at the same sides of the strips and each connected with its strip by a neck portion of lessv width than the pressed portion, and the pressed portion of one strip extending through the opening in the other strip to the side of said other strip at which the pressed portion of the latter is located and with the edge of the opening of said other strip engaging the neck of that pressed portion extending through said opening whereby said strips are connected.

i 2. In combination, two superimposed strips oi sheet metal both of which have portions of substantially the same sizeA and shape partially lanced therefrom and both pressed laterally from the planes of the strips in the same direction to provide openings in the strips, the lanced portions being connected to the strips by neck portions of less width than the lanced portions, the lanced portion of one strip being passed through the opening of the other strip, and the openings being out of alignment with the edges of the second opening opposite to the neck on that strip engaging thel neck of the lanced portion of the iirst strip to connect the two together.

JAMES R. COE. 

